Come Alive in the Greece and Turkey
Tuesday, June 2 – Saturday, June 13, 2009
An SCC Global Learning Experience

Travel Dates: June 2-13, 2009

Tuesday, June 2, 2009 New York, NY
We board our jet for an evening departure to Greece. Dinner and breakfast will be served in-flight.

Wednesday, June 3 Athens
We arrive in Athens where we will be met by our hospitality host. Our city sightseeing will include a visit to the world renowned Acropolis as well as the ruins of the Parthenon. We climb Mars Hill where Paul preached. We will also see the Agora the ancient market place and former center of Athenian public life the Houses of parliament, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Presidential Palace. Dinner and overnight in Athens.

Thursday, June 4 Corinth
On the way to Corinth, we will stop for a few minutes at the Corinth Canal which separates Peloponese from the Greek mainland and connects the Ionian and Aegean seas. We continue on to Corinth to see the Archaeological Museum, the Bema, the market place and temples. Corinth was home to Paul for eighteen months. Paul spoke from the Bema to the Corinthians about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We return to Athens where the balance of the afternoon is at leisure. You can visit the Platka to shop or just relax at your hotel. Dinner and overnight.

Friday, June 5 Mykonos
This morning we transfer to Piraeus to board the ship for our cruise of the Aegean Islands. While we enjoy these beautiful hours, the ship brings us to Mykonos, where the little town has preserved the real Aegean island color. Cubic white houses, crazy narrow streets, 360 churches and chapels and those world famous windmills are among the sights we will see in this fascinating town.

Saturday, June 6 Rhodes
We spend the full day in Rhodes, the island of the sun. Our ship enters the port of Rhodes where once stood the statue of Colossus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The old city, built by the knights of Saint John has changed very little from medieval times.

Sunday, June 7 Kusadasi
We cruise on to the island of Patmos, a sacred island for Christians. The famous monastery on the hilltop overlooks a landscape of striking beauty. It was here that Apostle John the Evangelist, while in exile, wrote the Apocalypse. We continue sailing to Kusadasi, Turkey, where we disembark and transfer to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Monday, June 8 Pamukkale
Drive to Ephesus. (Acts:17 and Revelation 2-1) where we visit the Basilica of John, the last house of Virgin Mary and the site of the Temple of Artemis, another one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. We continue on to the Ephesus Museum, and then drive to Pamukkale for dinner and overnight.

Tuesday, June 9 Izmir
We begin our day by visiting Pamukkale. Hierapolis is listed in the New Testament along with Laodicia as the center of Epaphra's work (Colossians 4:13).We drive to Philadelphia which was the least distinguished of the cities of the Seven Churches. Sardes will be another of the Seven Churches we visit today and the most picturesque. We will see the Temple of Artemis with an early Byzantine Church. Drive to Izmir for dinner and overnight.

Wednesday, June 10 Assos
This morning we depart for Thytira, one of the Seven Churches. A member of one of the guilds of the city, Lydia of Thytira, whom Paul met outside of the city of Philippi (Acts 16:14) was a seller of purple goods. After visiting Thytira, we will drive to Pergamon, another Seven Churches to see the Acropolis with the Altar of Zeus (Throne of Satan), the theatre and Asceluapium (the ancient medical center). Drive to Assos, where Paul rejoined his companions after a 20 mile walk (Acts 20:13). Overnight and dinner in Assos.

Thursday, June 11 Istanbul
Morning drive from Assos to Istanbul via the Dardanelles. Visit the city of Troy, famous city of Homer's "Iliad" among the remains of nine levels dating from the third millennium B.C. to the Roman period. Dinner and overnight in Istanbul.

Friday, June 12 Istanbul
Spend an unforgettable day in Istanbul visiting the Hippodrome, St. Sophia's Church, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace (home of the Ottoman Sultans for 400 years). Our day's pilgrimage continues with a visit to the beautiful church of Chora and adjoining museum. We continue with a visit the Grand Bazaar, the biggest and oldest shopping mall. Dinner and overnight at your hotel.

Saturday, June 13 New York, NY
Say good-bye to Turkey as we transfer to the airport for our return flight to the USA, arriving home the same day.

To sign up for this educational experience of a lifetime call 800-234-9305 or email info@somerset.edu.